


still holding on to the memories you left

by brightsee



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, F/F, Future Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-12
Updated: 2017-05-12
Packaged: 2018-10-30 20:45:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10884609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brightsee/pseuds/brightsee
Summary: Their relationship ended four months ago and both have clearly moved on. So why is it when Betty is with another woman all she thinks about is Veronica? And why does Veronica think of everything she had with Betty when she's wrapped up in the arms of a man? A late night phone call could change everything or change nothing.





	still holding on to the memories you left

**Author's Note:**

> i am so sorry for this. I'm in such a shitty/sad mood so i guess i'm making everyone else sad with this. i'm sure i'll be writing fluff/happier times soon enough but i just needed to get this out of my system. It's based off the song reminding me by shawn hook ft. vanessa hudgens. anyway, hope y'all enjoy?

Betty’s trying to unlock the door to her apartment, her keys shake in her hand and her gaze drops as hands roam over her hips and play with the button of her jeans. Her head falls back on the shoulder of the woman standing behind her, “we’re giving my neighbors a show.”

“So let them watch,” she replies, nipping at Betty’s pulse point. 

Betty lets out a loud laugh, finally unlocking the door and they fall through the entryway together. Betty reaches out and slams the door closed behind her when a pair of lips attach to her neck, warm hands pushing her back against the door. Her head falls back, a breathy moan escaping past her lips and sounding through the empty apartment. 

“Wait, wait, we should slow down,” she says, gripping at the hands on her hips. 

The woman pulls back, blue eyes mischievous. “Slow down?”

Betty lets out a breathy laugh, “yeah. How about some wine?”

“Wine?” 

She pushes herself off the door, lacing her fingers with Georgie, pulling her into the kitchen. Betty grabs a bottle of wine from the little fridge in the center island and fishes for a wine opener while Georgie hops onto the counter, watching as Betty moves around the kitchen. 

“Isn’t there a saying that a glass a day keeps the doctor away?” Betty teases, opening up the bottle of wine. 

Georgie laughs, a bright and musical sound. “You’re close. I like where this is going though.”

This thing between them is still new. It’s still good. All laughter and roaming hands. There’s no heaviness or expectations, just two women having fun, going on dates and coming home together. It’s easy and Betty thinks she could get used to it all; finding a new home in California and a new girlfriend was easier than expected. 

She tries not to think about that other woman, about the other city that used to be her home. Instead, she opens a bottle of red wine and pours two glasses, clinking glasses with Georgie and taking a sip. It was Betty’s favourite, a go to in college when she barely had two cents to pull together but managed to buy a bottle of ten dollar wine to get drunk off of. 

Georgie scrunches up her face in disgust, taking a sip of wine. “What is this?”

“Do you not like it?”

“It’s the cheapest wine I’ve ever tasted,” she replies, pouring her glass down the drain. 

Betty downs her own glass, trying not to feel the disappointment welling up in her but knowing it was useless. Cheap wine was her thing with Veronica and the wine they were drinking was Veronica’s favourite. Betty doesn’t even know why she still has a bottle, why she thought to share it with Georgie, as if she was filling in for Veronica. 

Betty grabs Georgies’ glass and places it into the sink with her own. “Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll teach you all about the good stuff,” she winks, sliding off the counter and pulls Betty close, arms wrapping around her waist 

Betty reaches up and cups her jaw leaning in, capturing her lips. It’s sudden, catching the other woman off guard, but Betty just needed her to stop talking, as if wine would ever be a common interest they shared. As if Betty wanted to learn and drink expensive wine. As if this woman could fill a place in Betty’s life. 

Georgie smiles into the kiss, tracing her tongue over Betty’s bottom lip, opening her up and slipping her tongue in. Betty sinks into the kiss, leaning in to Georgie, and pushes any and all thoughts of Veronica out of her mind. She tries to concentrate on Georgie as she slides her hands over her shoulders, down to her dies and lacing their fingers together. 

Betty pulls back, their noses brushing lightly, and stares up at Georgie. Her eyes are darker, a dusting of freckles over her nose and across her cheeks, her dark hair resting over a pale shoulder. Betty closes her eyes and kisses her again to keep herself from comparing the woman in her arms to the woman she used to love. 

It’s a constant battle. Georgie would say something so similar to Veronica, a phrase or a look and Betty would immediately get caught up, reaching for Veronica as if she were still there. Georgie never complains, doesn’t understand what’s even going on with Betty, but accepts the attention. And when realization hits her? Well Betty just pulls Georgie closer and kisses her harder, chasing away the guilt and any remaining thoughts of Veronica. 

Even as Betty pulls Georgie into her bedroom, she’s flooded with countless memories of Veronica in her arms. Betty reaches around the back of Georgies dress,  fingers dragging the zipper down and watches as it falls to the floor at their feet. She traces her lips over the exposed skin, sucking and nipping across her collarbone and fingers reaching up to cup her breasts. Georgies’ head falls back and moans, hands gripping onto Betty’s hips as they fall back onto the bed. 

Betty flips them over, so she’s on top, and sinks her hips down on top of Georgie. There’s still a layer of clothing between them and Betty is quick to tug off her cardigan and tank top. Georgie is there, leaning up on one elbow and fingers unclasping Betty’s bra, tugging the the straps off her shoulders and discarding the bra over the bed. 

From there it’s all heated skin, frantic touches, and bruising kisses. Betty gets Georgie off twice before she’s rolled onto her back and watches her go down on her, dark hair between her thighs and she dares to think of Veronica in that moment. How the picture is so similar though the way Georgie touches her isn’t quite the same, Veronica knew Betty’s body better than anyone. 

She laces her fingers into the dark hair, spurring on Georgie, but she remembers how Veronica loved that. Always liking it a little rough. Betty would tug at her hair, grip it tightly in her fist, bringing out a moan in Veronica which Betty could feel through her whole body. When she does it to Georgie, the woman looks up at her with hooded eyes and Betty’s not quite sure if she enjoys it, so she releases her hair and grips onto the bedsheets at her side instead. 

It takes Betty longer, but she falls over the edge and her mind goes blank. When Georgie pulls herself up beside Betty, she doesn’t let her settle, instead pulling her into the shower to cool down. Betty laughs, almost slipping as she pulls Georgie under the spray with her. And when they’re dry, Georgie climbs back into bed and Betty doesn’t have the heart to kick her out. 

She settles into bed, Georgie pulling Betty into her arms as she falls asleep. Betty remains awake, always having trouble getting to sleep, even after such activities. Veronica used to stay up with her, the two nose to nose, and just talk until Betty fell asleep. Georgie does no such thing, doesn’t even know the insomnia that plagues Betty. 

As she lies awake in Georgies’ arms, counting the freckles on her nose, Betty realizes how empty she feels. How Veronica made her feel everything, an assortment of emotions that sometimes made Betty go crazy because there was so much love and want there that she couldn’t keep her hands to herself. Most importantly, Veronica made Betty feel like she wasn’t alone; she was always by her side and now she was gone. 

Betty has never felt lonelier.

 

* * *

Veronica lies awake staring at the ceiling, watching the fan spin around lazily. The body in bed next to her shifts, a hand reaching out and wrapping around her wrist, tugging her into the solid body of a man. She smiles up at him as he blinks awake, lips twisting up into a tired smirk. 

“What’re you doin’ over there?”

“It just got hot,” she replies, allowing him to pull her into his side.

He kicks the sheets down in response so they lay naked on the bed, sheets at their feet. She swallows a lump in her throat, trying not to think about Betty because these are her sheets, the ones she bought when they first moved in together. Veronica wonders what she’s still doing with them and why her stomach twists up at the image of her and Brody on Bettys’ lilac sheets.

Brody drops a kiss to her forehead, brows furrow in concern. “You okay?”

She looks up at him, craning her neck because he’s holding her so tightly and she’s tucked just underneath his chin. “I’m good,” she lies, turning her body so her back is to his front. 

Veronica is counting the minutes until the sun rises and she can pull herself out of bed and effectively kick him out. He’s just another warm body, another guy she brought home after a night spent at a club, another sleepless night she spends staring at the open space of her bedroom with unfamiliar arms wrapped around her.  

Brody nuzzles her neck, breathing in heavily, and placing a kiss behind her ear. She squirms in his arms but he only holds on tighter. It’s still an adjustment to be the little spoon when cuddling, to be swallowed up by a body larger than her own, to feel encased in warmth. It unnerves her, a hint of claustrophobia scratching at her lungs as a heavy arm wraps itself over her chest. 

Veronica was always the big spoon with Betty, curling her smaller body around her and hugging her close. It soothed an aching in her chest with just the pressure of pressing her body against another. She would breathe in, smell her shampoo and suddenly relax, as if Betty Cooper was the cure to all her problems. 

She misses those nights where they would stay out late, stumble home, and curl up in bed. Veronica tries to recreate those nights, never with another woman but always a different man. She’d wake up in the morning, disappointment settling over her and reality hitting her all at once. 

It’s a defence mechanism, she knows this. As if sleeping with any guy she can will make her forget about Betty. Never a woman because she would get lost in the curves, the plump lips, the familiarity of a softer body against hers, a reminder of a woman she’s trying desperately to forget. There’s no way of comparing Betty to any man she brings home, they’re so fundamentally different. 

Veronica stares across the room now, unable to fall asleep. Brody snores lightly behind her, unaware that Veronica is lying awake in his arms. She desperately craves to turn over and wake him up, to just talk about anything and everything. Like she used to do when Betty was unable to fall asleep. 

Brody isn’t Betty though, just a replacement and a reminder. Betty left months ago, yet most nights her thoughts are plagued of memories she’s trying to forget of the blonde. Veronica hates her; because she gave up on them, when things got tough. They were arguing home, Veronica started working home, Betty was jealous and then she got a new job opportunity across the country and she took it. 

Veronica hates her; because as difficult as their relationship was becoming, Veronica never would have gave up on Betty. She hates that Betty never fought for them like Veronica did. She hates that she’s forced to forget the best four years of her life because they bring so much pain. She hates that as much as she’s trying to forget about her, these men are just a constant reminder of what she once had and will never have again. 

Her phone vibrates on the night stand, the screen lighting up. It’s almost four in the morning and she spares a glance over her shoulder but Brody is fast asleep, breathing heavily. Veronica knows who it is before she even answers the call, so she slips out of Brody’s arms and changes into his shirt before she takes the phone out into the livingroom. 

“Hello?”

Veronica curls up on the couch, angled so she’s staring out the window and at the moon. It’s cloudless night and the moon shines into her apartment, lighting up her surroundings. There’s an old book of Betty’s she left that remains on her coffee table, even a picture of the two of them Veronica wasn’t willing to part with on the fireplace mantle.

“V,” Betty breathes out in a sigh of relief. 

Her stomach drops and a bitter taste fills her mouth. It’s been so long since she’s heard Betty’s voice and a million questions run through Veronica’s head. She doesn’t say anything, the line is quiet and the silence is drawn out. Veronica can faintly hear Bettys’ breathing on the other end of the phone and there’s a small, bitter part of her that wants to hang up the phone. 

“I miss you,” Betty finally says quietly. 

She says the three words like it’ll solve all her problems. It won’t and Bety probably knows this, so Veronica wonders why she called in the first place. Their problems couldn’t be fixed after months of talking and arguing, what makes Betty think a four a.m. call will resolve?

Veronica lets out a quiet laugh. “Yeah?”

“God, V, I hate California and I hate that I left, I hate that we don’t talk anymore, like we weren’t even friends,” Betty whispers, a string of words she says so low that Veronica strains her ears trying to hear. “I hate this.”

“I can’t do this, Betty.”

Veronica looks into her bedroom, to the gorgeous man spread out across her bed. How easy it would be to hang up and walk back into her bedroom, straddle his thighs and kiss him awake, to make him help her forget all about this phone call. She can’t though; can’t bring herself to hang up on Betty, needs to hear her say everything that’s been months of build up. 

“Please, Veronica,” Betty pleads, desperate. 

“What do you want?” Veronica asks, needing to understand why she was doing this to herself. Betty always was able to reel her in, to capture her attention, and Veronica was helpless. 

“I want you,” Betty says so soft and gentle. “I miss you.”

“It’s been four months, Betts. Why now?”

There’s a silence and Veronica waits it out for her, needing to hear what she has to say. 

“She’s not you.”

Veronica doesn’t know how her stomach twists in displeasure but her heart skips a beat at the same time. There’s an ache in her chest and Veronica wants to run, like Betty did to her all those months ago. But she stays, doesn’t hang up, just lets out a shaky breath, because she knows how Betty is feeling. The lineup of guys she’s had in her bed the past few weeks are nothing compared to Betty and a constant reminder of what she lost. 

These men aren’t Betty but she tries to make them fill a Betty size hole in her life and in her heart. It doesn’t work though. The only way to fill up that hole is with Betty or with moving on. It’s been four months and she may have moved on physically, much like Betty herself, she hasn’t moved on emotionally. Veronica realizes she’s still hanging on to Betty. 

“Fuck, Betty,” she mutters, a jumble of emotions running through her. 

Noise sounds from her left and Brody is standing in the doorway of her bedroom, eyeing Veronica. “What’re you doing out here, babe?”

“Oh,” Betty says and Veronica feels a little guilty but a little revengeful. 

“I gotta go.”

“Wait!” Betty pleads. “I love you, Veronica. And I know it’s been four months and I’m on the other side of the country but we can work this out. I know we can.”

Veronica listens to what she has to say but her gaze doesn’t leave Brody who’s staring at her, a sly smirk on his lips. Her eyes travel over his broad chest, down his abs, to his hips, and he’s standing there naked. “Coming?” he asks. 

“I gotta go, B.”

Betty tries to protest in the background but Veronica is already hanging up the phone on her and heads back into the bedroom with Brody. This time she’s going to forget about Betty the only way she knows how. She’s been burned twice too many times by her ex-girlfriend and Veronica vows never to put herself through that again. Betty walked out for a reason and Veronica is moving on and letting go of Betty Cooper once and for all.    

**Author's Note:**

> don't kill me?


End file.
